


Blue Dusters and Faux Fur Collars

by LaylaEvercrest



Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:07:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29703807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaylaEvercrest/pseuds/LaylaEvercrest
Summary: A silly take on what *might* have happened after the game featuring our favorite young commander.
Relationships: Rinoa Heartilly/Squall Leonhart
Kudos: 2





	Blue Dusters and Faux Fur Collars

* * *

**_ ooo000oo _ **

* * *

**_ Blue Dusters and Faux Fur Collars _ **

* * *

**_ ooo000ooo _ **

* * *

Weeks had passed since they had returned to a hero's welcome, but any romantic notions of their lives returning to something they once recognized were quickly dashed.

The media circus surrounding the mysterious  _ Liberi Fatali _ had only continued to grow, which in turn left the six of them in a state of limbo. Xu had recommended that they find new responsibilities within Garden to preoccupy themselves until they could return safely to active duty.

Cid was on leave while the world council established an inquiry regarding his and Edea's involvement precipitating the events in question. In the meantime, Quistis had been filling in some of the administrative roles his absence left behind. The part came naturally to her, and Squall found himself envious of that.

Selphie and Irvine had taken on a more creative role, assuming unsanctioned titles of being the first "official-nonofficial" Ambassadors of Balamb. Together, they created a wildly successful campaign to fund Trabia's rebuilding efforts. The latest one involved nominating people to dump buckets of ice water over their heads or face a hefty Gil fine. Squall himself, a relentless target amongst his so-called friends, had already cut several checks to the cause.

Zell had—surprisingly—taken a role away from combat. He started a mentoring program for the children who suddenly found Balamb to be their new home after the war. After touring the program Zell created and the bond he developed with the children, the commander would be shocked to see him re-enlist for active duty ever again.

Much to his bewilderment, the interim portion of his commander title had been dropped. The newly elected board had been unanimously in their vote of confidence, despite Squall's conflicting opinions. The first task they handed him to him was to define's Garden's new role in a world now that its original purpose had been achieved. Since the war had left many positions open, power-vacuums were forming to compete for power within the organization. If left unguarded, Leonhart could plainly see how Garden could be steered into immoral directions to secure a wider margin of profit. Those were the concerns that kept the young commander up past curfew most night. He doubted his capability to serve in an unbiased capacity, primarily due to his personal responsibilities that seemed to grow more neglected as the days passed. 

The real victim of his position was Rinoa. While obtaining the protected status as a refuge from her newfound sorceress abilities, Garden had granted her temporary asylum until it could assure her safety elsewhere. What her exact wishes entailed, Squall still didn't know as they both seemed stuck in a perpetual game of messages tag between rushed conferences. 

Squall understood that when it came to relationships, he was emotionally underdeveloped compared to his peers. Despite that weakness, even though he knew had handwritten messages would not be enough to protect what was growing in importance to him. However, learning how to compensate for it wouldn't be found in any of the books before. 

Squall reached for the manual he would before his next board meeting when he saw her through the now-vacated slot with her back to him in the next library aisle. 

He watched her thumb through a few pages of her book, too absorbed in what reading to realize someone was observing her. It took him a moment to remember what genre held the back section of Garden's library exclusively, but when it came to him, he restrained a small laugh. All the other Garden inhabitants would have stopped at the battle manuals where he stood now. Very few would be caught dead in broad daylight browsing the romance novel section. Morbid curiosity made him wonder why those books held her captive?

Returning the needed book to its spot on the shelf, he was damned to waste a gifted opportunity like this one. The young commander peered out of his aisle to the surrounding areas to secure they were relatively isolated back here. The better part of his brain warned him to hold off, but the unexpected desire that rallied from seeing her wanted him to make his move quickly. The swift risk assessment calculation he calculated to his cautious side to go to hell. The chances of anyone finding them looked minuscule, and the opening to be alone with her was too rewarding.

Cautiously, Squall inspected her aisle to verify that Rinoa was positively alone back there. Her back still turned, the sorceress was leisurely moving further down the corridor, still buried in the literature in her hands until she came to a sudden stop. Squall held his breath, wondering if she sensed his approach through their connection. Her blue duster swished along the floor as she turned the book over to read its back. 

He could not prevent a rare smile slipping by his defenses as he carefully checked over his shoulder one last time to be sure their moment wouldn't be disturbed. He noted Rinoa's black locks had been hastily swept to one side over the other, exposing a tantalizing stretch of her neck.

Squall silently came up behind her, intending to utilize the element of surprise he was rarely afforded. He wanted nothing more than to embrace the opportunity given to him. With the element of surprise on his side, he immediately seized her around the waist and stooped forward to kiss her skin. But damned by his eagerness, he was far too late in realizing the scent of her shampoo and the curves underneath the blue duster were not hers before the damage was done.

A blood-curdling scream had them separating in an instant- with Squall taking a few books out in the process.

Never in his wildest nightmares had he imagined such a scenario. There he stood clutching to a shelf like his life depended on it, as a young cadet spun around as if to attack but halting with wide hazel eyes with recognition.

Locked in a speechless pattern, the two of them stood there gawking at each other in disbelief, waiting for the other to make a move. As the shock started to wear off, Squall started stammering incoherently as the cadet's cheeks began to flush a dark color.

Stopping himself, Leonhart knew nothing he could say to make this situation better and submitted to his first instinct.

He fled.

Squall bolted straight out of the library, nearly hyperventilating to the point of passing out. The commander raked gloved fingers through his hair as he began to pace back and forth. The horrifying incident replayed over and over again until a tap on his shoulder demanded his attention.

Leonhart jumped as he turned, half expecting it to be the cadet demanding a proper explanation. To his surprise, he found Zell, who returned an equally insecure expression back at him. 

"Whoa, man," Zell said, subconsciously taking a step back. "Are you okay? Your face couldn't be any redder unless someone cast berserk on you."

The blonde laughed at his own joke but then proceeded to pause for a moment, remembering what his commander was like under the offensive spell. That deserved another half step back, according to the martial artist. 

"But seriously, no one cast one,  _ right _ ?" Zell asked this time more cautiously.

Breathless, Leonhart fumbled at finding a response, but the urgency to answer him fell when the young commander had more pressing questions. 

"What the hell are you wearing?" He demanded, seeing his fellow soldier wearing a black leather jacket with cheap faux animal fur on its collar.

"Uh…" Zell said, forgetting himself for a moment until he looked down at his wardrobe. "Oh, yeah! I thought I'd come by and show you this. A clothing boutique opened up overnight in Balamb, and they are selling out like crazy!"

Squall covered his mouth with a gloved hand incase his internal screaming found its way out.

Obliviously to his crisis, the blonde went on pulling at the edges of the offending jacket. "Not only are you guys heroes, but now you're fashion icons too! Just in the last ten minutes, I've seen four girls walking around in copies of Rinoa's duster."

It took him a moment to find the resolution to reanimate himself. Closing his eyes, Leonhart pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stem a migraine that was starting to develop. 

"You okay there, man? You're beginning to scare me." Zell laughed nervously.

Letting out a swear word under his breath, Squall turned directions and started to move towards the administrative offices. 

" _ Wait! Where are you going?! _ " Zell called out, only hasting Squall's retreat towards the elevators. 

The commander knew time was of the essence. He had a responsibility to report his offending behavior to his superiors, so they could provide mediation between him and the poor cadet he scandalized. Even  _ if  _ the cadet was willing to forgive his mistake, Squall wasn't so sure he could do the same.

He jammed the button calling the elevator a few times, wrecking his brain on who he needed to speak to first. The answer should be Cid, but in his absence, it would be...

The elevator opened as the answer dawned on him.  _ Quistis _ . 

The commander stepped in and pushed the administrative floor, dreading the idea of having to verbalize his account to someone who knew intimately of his struggles to show intimacy. If that wasn't mortifying enough, sooner or later, he knew he would have to explain the whole thing again to Rinoa. 

When the elevator doors opened back up, Squall stepped out, with defeat knowledge that his schedule was about to become busier with the addition of Garden's harassment prevention courses in it.

* * *

ooo000ooo

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a long time ago but realized I never posted it here. I dusted it off a bit and decided to add it here.


End file.
